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Barn Swallow
Swallows, or Hirundo rustica, are common widespread birds, which are similar to, an often seen with, swifts and martins. Appearance The Swallow has a red throat and forehead, the rest of it’s head is a dark, glossy blue, as is its upperparts. It also has a blue breastband which borders the red throat and the size and shape of which is variable. Its underparts are white, often with a buff tone the intensity of which varies greatly depending on the subspecies. There is a white dot near the tip of each tail feather. Overall, the swallow is a lean-looking bird, with pointed wings that allow a fast and acrobatic flight, and a long, forked tail (longer in the male). The bill and the short legs are black. The body length is 17-21 cm, the wingspan is 30-34 cm, and the body weight is 16-20 g. Subspecies *''H.r. rustica'', found in Europe and Asia *''H.r. erythrogaster'', found in North America, has reddish underparts *''H.r. savignii'', found in Egypt, does not migrate, has red underparts and a complete breastband *''H.r. gutturalis'', found in south-eastern Asia, has whitish underparts,a broken breastband, and a chestnut throat *''H.r. transitiva'', found in the Middle East, has reddish underparts and a broken breastband *''H.r. tytleri'', found in eastern Asia, has deep-red underparts and an incomplete breast band Habits Though there isn't much cooperation between separate couples/individuals, the Swallow is a rather gregarious species. They're often seen flying in groups, mixed with other birds of similar behaviour, and multiple pairs often nest close to eachother. Migration The Barn Swallow is well-known for its migratory habits. Each autumn, with the arrival of the cold season, the insects on which Swallows feed start to disappear, and so, usually around September, Swallows leave their breeding grounds in the Northern Hemisphere to winter in Africa, South America and Oceania. They come back in Spring, around April. Breeding They are monogamous, and both sexes take part in nest-building. The nest is a cup, usually placed under a roof, in a barn or similar place, made of mud mixed with saliva. Each year, the Swallows reinforce their nest with new mud. A pair is able to raise up to 2 broods per year, each made up of 2-7 eggs. Incubation lasts 11-19 days. Swallows are very protective birds, and guard their nesting sites fiercely, if one bird does back down the males fight with ferocity. Once the chicks hatch, the parents have to relentlessly hunt for insects. The chicks sometimes share their food with eachother. They fledge in 18-23 days, but still depend on their parents for food for a while before they become independent. The young of the first brood will sometimes help their parents feed the nestlings of the second brood. Sexual maturity is reached at 1-2 years of age. Feeding Swallows, like House Martins and Swifts, are adapted for hunting on the wind, and are experts at catching invertebrates in the air, which form their diet. They are strictly insectivorous. Threats, Predators, and Status Although the Swallow is common and widespread and is currently considered Least Concern, it is threatened by habitat loss -the disappearance of traditional rural areas, which offered nesting sites and food sources, in favour of industrial agriculture- and global warming, which appears to be affecting the migration behaviour of these birds. They tend to leave their nesting grounds later than usual, and a few individuals in the warmest areas of the species' range, such as the Southern Mediterranean, do not migrate at all anymore. As for natural threats, the Barn Swallow doesn't have many predators, which explains the bird's relatively long lifespan of 8-10 years. Only a few birds of prey, such as the Hobby Falcon, are fast and agile enough to catch adults in flight. Younger birds, however, are more vulnerable, and sometimes fall victim to corvids and cats. Distribution and Habitat Found in open rural and suburban areas all across the Northern Hemisphere, the Barn Swallow is tied to human settlements in its breeding territories. Its breeding habitats include various kinds of environments, such as savannahs and forests, with the exception of deserts. Similar Birds *Red-rumped swallow Gallery Baby Barn Swallow.jpg|A young Barn Swallow. Note the yellow sides of the beak. Couple Swallows.jpg DSC01169-1.jpg|The typical silhouette of the Barn Swallow in flight. File:Swallow2016.jpg File:Swallows_wire_2017.jpg File:swallow2011.JPG|A Swallow collecting mud for its nest. File:Swallows2017.jpg|Four chicks in their nest. Category:Bird Species Category:Birds Category:Birds of Europe Category:Birds of North America Category:Passeriformes Category:Passerines Category:Songbirds Category:Hirundinidae Category:Birds of Asia Category:Birds of Eurasia Category:Birds of the Americas Category:Birds of Africa